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Office “cake culture” in which staff bring in treats for birthdays and celebrations is becoming a daily health hazard and should be stopped, experts have advised.

In recent years, it has become popular for workers to offer birthday cake to colleagues or bring back sugary gifts from their holidays.

Today will be the first day back at work for most Britons and many staff will bring in leftover chocolate, biscuits and treats from Christmas.

A smile is better than a cake, says the National Obesity Forum

But the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has warned that in large offices, sweets and cakes have become a daily occurrence and the growing trend is contributing to poor oral health and the obesity epidemic.

Managers want to reward staff for their efforts, colleagues want to celebrate special occasions and workers want to bring back a gift from their holidays.

“While these sweet treats might be well meaning, they are also contributing to the current obesity epidemic and poor oral health.

“We need a culture change in offices and other workplaces that encourages healthy eating and helps workers avoid caving in to sweet temptations such as cakes, sweets and biscuits.”

Bringing in cakes can prevent colleagues from sticking to health eating plans as they often feel obliged to accept

The faculty says that “combatting cake culture” should be a New Year’s resolution of workplaces in 2017.

Nearly two thirds of adults in Britain are overweight or obese and nearly 64,000 over-18s were admitted to hospital last year because of tooth decay.

But shoppers spent about £200 million on cakes and confectionery in the fortnight running up to Christmas, a market that has been steadily growing year on year.

“You may not know who in the office is secretly dieting in which case they won’t appreciate your gesture: if you do know, you’re plainly malicious.

“If you want to give them anything, give them a smile, a hug or both!”

Cakes at work are becoming a daily occurrence, particularly in larger offices

The faculty of dentists suggests that if workers do bring in treats, they should consider buying low sugar alternatives and smaller sizes.

Biscuits and cakes should also be kept for lunchtime, they advise, rather than snacking throughout the day.

And employers should help their staff to make healthier choices by substituting sugary products available in meetings, like biscuits, for lower sugar alternatives, such as plain nuts and fruit, removing high sugar products from vending machines and making sugary products less visible in canteens.